Course Outline of Record

Item	Value
Eff Term	Fall 2026
Curriculum Committee Approval Date	12/02/2025
Top Code	050640 - Small Business and Entrepreneurship (CTE)
Units	3 Total Units (Lecture Units 3)
Hours	54 Total Hours (Lecture Hours 54)
Total Outside of Class Hours	108
Total Student Learning Hours	162
Course Credit Status	Credit: Degree Applicable (D)
Material Fee	No
Basic Skills	Not Basic Skills (N)
Repeatable	No
Open Entry/Open Exit	No
Grading Policy	Standard Letter (S)

Course Description

Formerly: Starting a Business - Entrepreneurial Small Business. This course covers the basics of planning and starting a new business including personal and organizational readiness, entrepreneurship options and opportunities, business idea development and analysis, business plan development, funding and support resources, and new business launch. Transfer Credit: CSU.

Course Level Student Learning Outcome(s)

1. Compare approaches to starting or owning a business
2. Prepare a Business Model Canvas for a business idea.
3. Prepare a business plan for a new business or business expansion.

Course Objectives

• Identify the various types of small businesses and the associated advantages and disadvantages.
• Identify the skills and traits that are common among successful entrepreneurs.
• Compare the rewards with the pitfalls of starting a new business, buying an existing business, or owning a franchise.
• Explain the need for understanding your target customer and the potential demand for your product or service.
• Develop the components of a business plan.
• Determine the financial requirements needed when starting a business and describe ways to obtain funding.

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Lecture Content

1. Pathways to entrepreneurship
   1. Part-time businesses
   2. Homebased businesses
   3. Starting vs buying a business
   4. Franchises
   5. Inheriting a business
2. Exploring entrepreneurial ideas
   1. Solving needs
   2. Satisfying unmet needs in the marketplace
   3. Innovation vs. imitation
3. Understanding the customer (market research)
   1. Customer surveys and feedback
   2. Identifying target customers
   3. Market segmentation
4. Marketing
   1. ​Brand development
   2. Value propositions
   3. Differentiating a product or service in the marketplace
   4. Pitching an idea
   5. Elevator pitches
5. ​Financial basics
   1. ​Financial statements
      1. ​Balance sheet
      2. Cashflow statement
      3. Income statement
   2. ​Business Model Canvas
   3. Financial estimates and projection tools
   4. Statup costs
6. ​Business plan
   1. ​Purpose of a business plan
   2. Audiences of a business plan
   3. Examples of business plans
7. ​Networking
   1. ​Importance of building a network
   2. Types of networking contacts
   3. How to start building a network
   4. Resources and partnerships
8. ​Business legal structures
   1. ​Types of business legal formations
      1. Sole proprietorship
      2. Partnership
      3. Corporation
   2. S-Corporations and LLCs/LLPs
   3. Advantages and disadvantages of various legal formations​​

Method(s) of Instruction

• Lecture (02)
• DE Live Online Lecture (02S)
• DE Online Lecture (02X)

Instructional Techniques

-

Reading Assignments

Textbook chapters. Online resources. Presentation slides.

Writing Assignments

Weekly written responses to assignments. Feasibility study of business idea. Business Plan development.

Out-of-class Assignments

Weekly assignment requiring research and written responses. Weekly online quizzes business plan development

Study Non-Contact Hours Recommended

108

Methods of Student Evaluation

• Midterm Exam
• Final Exam
• Short Quizzes
• Written Assignments
• Report
• Projects (Individual/Group)
• Problem Solving Exercises
• Skills Demonstration

Demonstration of Critical Thinking

Students will be required to evaluate a business idea by developing a feasibility study to determine if the idea is viable.

Required Writing, Problem Solving, Skills Demonstration

Business plan assignment. Financial Basics certification (HP Life).

Resources Subscreen

• Open Education Resource: Laverty, Michael; Littel, Chris. Entrepreneurship. (2024).

Eligible Discipline(s)

• Business: Master’s degree in business, business management, business administration, accountancy, finance, marketing, or business education OR bachelor’s degree in any of the above AND master’s degree in economics, personnel management, public administration, or Juris Doctorate (J.D.) or Legum Baccalaureus (LL.B.) degree OR bachelor’s degree in economics with a business emphasis AND master’s degree in personnel management, public administration, or J.D. or LL.B. degree OR the equivalent. Master's degree required.
• Management: Master’s degree in business administration, business management, business education, marketing, public administration, or finance OR bachelor’s degree in any of the above AND master’s degree in economics, accountancy, taxation, or law OR the equivalent. Master's degree required.
• Marketing: Master’s degree in business administration, business management, business education, marketing, advertising, or finance OR bachelor’s degree in any of the above AND master’s degree in economics, accountancy, taxation, or law OR the equivalent. Master's degree required.